Hospital signaling apparatus



June 27, 1933. R's EDWARDS 1,915,985

HOSPITAL SIGNALING APPARATUS Filed March 5, 1930 I NVENTOR ATTORNEYPatented June 27, 1933 UNITED STATES Parent oFFicE onner s. nnwnnns, onNEW ROCHELLE, new YORK, ASSIGNOR ".ro ,nnwanns Ann COMPANY, INC., ACORPORATION OF NEW YORK HOSPITAL SIGNALING APPARATUS Application filedMarch 5,

This invention relates to hospital signaling apparatus and moreparticularly to bedside signaling apparatus.

One of the objects of this invention is to 5 provide a simple andpractical bedside signaling apparatus for operation by the patient andwhich will be capable of relieving the patient from most if not all ofthe discomforts that are attendant upon the opera- 0 tion of signalingapparatuses heretofore known. Another object is to provide a bedsidesignaling apparatus which will meet the maximum comforts of the patientwhen the latter finds it necessary to signal for the nurse or otherattendant and which will eliminate all possibility of interfering withthe comfort and ease of the patient when the latter finds it unnecessaryto signal for a nurse or attendant. Another object is to provide abedside or patient-operated push button switch mounting capable ofsupporting the push button switch within convenient access thereto bythe patient while keeping the push button switch itself or any relatedparts entirely out of the way of the patient and particularly keepingthe switch or related parts free from interference with the bedclothes.-Another object is to provide a switch mounting of the above-mentionednature in which most convenient access by the patient to the vpushbutt-on switch is maintained without necessitating attachment of thepush button switch to the bedclothes or without having the weight of thepush button switch or related parts affect the comfort of the patient.Another object is to provide a push button switch mounting I of theabove-mentioned character capable of a wine range of action, I ease ofmanipulation, and ready adaptability to meet the varying conditions ofpractical use. Other objects will be in part obvious or in part pointedout hereinafter.

The invention accordingly consists in the features of construction,combinations of elements, and arrangements of parts as will beexemplified in the structure to be hereinafter described and the scopeof the application of which will be indicated in the following claims.

In the accompanying drawing in which is 19-30. Serial No. 433,208.

shown a preferred form of various possible lar' parts throughout theseveral views of the drawing. I

As conducive to a clearer understanding of certain features of myinvention, it might at this point be noted that, in hospital signalingsystems, the patient is provided with;

a push button switch attached generallyto a flexible cord, this switchbeing generally of the self-locking but releasable type; that is, theoperation of the push button switch by the patient locks the switch inclosed position and the lock is releasable only upon the manipulation bythe nurse or attendant answering the call. These bedside signalingswitches are the cause of considerable discomfort and annoyance to thepatient eX-,

actly at the time when discomfortsor annoyances should be avoided,namely, when the patient is about to call for help; at such times thepatient has to grope around in the attempt to findthe push button switchwhich,

unless secured to the bedclothes by such haphazard makeshift-s as safetypins, is lost in the bedclothes. Moreover, the use of safety pins, aswell as the great amount of manipulation to which the push button switchon the end of the flexible cord is subjected, rapidly "depreciates theflexible corditself, necessitating frequent repair or replacement. It isamong the dominant aims of thls 1nvention to eliminate such difficultiesand disad vantagesas these. u y

Referring now to the drawlng, I have indicated generally at 10 a bedsidepush button switch preferably encased in a non-me- I tallic orinsulating housing'and provided with a push button 11 which is actuatedby the patient, the latter depressing the button 11. The mechanism whichper se is not my invention and which-need not, therefore, be

described in detail, is such that depression of the button 11 not onlycloses a signaling circuit but looks the circuit closed as by lockingthe button 11 against retrograde movement. I

The circuit thus controlled by the push button 11 may include a sourceof current 12 and any suitable device generally indicated at 13, thelatter being, for example, either a visual or audible signal. Depressionof the button 11 thus actuates the signaling device 13 and maintains itin actuated condition until it is reset by release of the push button 11by the nurse or attendant arriving at the bedside in answed to thesignal or call. The resetting device may comprise a ring-like or annularplunger 14 surrounding the push button 11 and it is this annular member1-1 which the attendant depresses to unlock the locked push button 11and the switching mechanism actuated thereby.

The push button switch 10 is rigidly secured to the free end of aspirally wound sheet metal tube or conduit 15, the turns of which aresuitably interlocked or interfitted. The other end of the flexible tube15 fits into a metal sleeve-like member 16 which forms part of or isattached to a bracket generally indicated at 17. The bracket ispreferably shaped substantially as indicated in Figure 1, and it will benoted that it has a substantially horizontal portion 17 adapted to restupon the upper face of the angle iron side rail 18 of the bedstead, anda vertical portion 17 adapted to rest against the side face of the angleiron side rail 18, the portion 17' being substantially U-shaped at itslower part, as is indicated at 17, in order that it may envelope a lowerportion of the vertical part of the side rail 18. A screw, preferably athumb screw 19, is threaded into one arm of this U-shaped portion 17 andis adapted to abut against the side rail 18, thus securely holding theparts 16 and 17 to the side rail 18.

The device 16-17--19 is readily attachable or detachable with respect tothe side rail 18. For example, to remove the device, it is necessarysimply to loosen up the set screw 19 sufficiently to permit the deviceto swing in counter-clockwise direction, as viewed in Figure 1, so as topermit the vertical portion 17 to clear the top of the side rail 18,whence the device may be moved downwardly to free the angle iron fromthe U-shaped seat 17 Attachment of the device to the bedstead proceeds,of course, in

the reverse manner.

The flexible tube 15 has extending therethrough the flexible cord 20which leads to a suitable outlet box (not shown) in the wall or floor,whence the conductors of the signaling circuit proceed to complete thecircuit in which is included the signaling device 13 and the source ofcurrent 12. The flexible tube 15, referring now to Figure 2, is ofsufficient length to reach upwardly and horizontally so that it mayadequately clear the bedding, as well as the patient itself, and reach,for example, at least half way across the bed. Moreover, the tube 15,while flexible, is of sufficient rigidity to support its own weight, aswell as the weight of the push button switch 10. In the use of thedevice, the nurse or attendant simply positions the clamping device1718, and hence the supporting sleeve 16, at a suitable position alongthe side rail 18 of the bed 21, bearing in mind the position occupied bythe patient and bearing in mind, for example, which arm or hand is mostconvenient for the patient or is available to the patient for actuatingthe push button switch 10, and gives the tubing 15 such bends that thepush button switch 10 is held free and clear of the bedding and of thepatient though within convenient reach of the free hand or reach of thepatient. The patient thus always finds the push button handy andconvenient and need not grope around nor search for it. Moreover, thereis no poss bility of the push button becoming lost in the bedclothes noris there any chance of the push button weighing down upon the bedclothesor upon the patient. Furthermore, should the patient, for example, movearound or turn over so as to engage the button 10 or;

the tubing 15, the latter parts are simply I moved upwardly where theyremain and are held in such raised position. Also, the flexible cord 20carrying the conductors is not subjected to possible misuse, as by theapplication thereto of safety pins and, on the contrary, is adequateleyprotected and long life thereof assured.

It might also be pointed out that should the nurse or attendant haveoccasion to have access to the patient, or for example, to move thepatient or change the bedclothes, it is simply necessary to take hold ofthe push button switch 10 and move it into any convenient positionwithin the range or length of the flexible tube 10 until such time as itis to be replaced in a position for access thereto by the patient. Infact, referring to Figure 2, from which such advantages as those pointedout above will readily appear, it is possible to swing the push buttonswitch 10 and the tubing 15 downwardly completely under the bed or, ifpreferable, into substantial alinement with the side rail 18.

It will thus be seen that there has been provided in this invention anapparatus in which changes might be made in the embodiment above setforth, it is to be understood that all matter hereinbefore set forth, orshown in the accompanying drawing, is to be interpreted as illustrativeand not in a limiting sense.

I claim:

1. In a hospital signaling apparatus, the combination with an electricsignaling device and a bedside switch for controlling said device, of aflexible metal tube carrying said switch at one end thereof, anattaching device having means for attaching it to a part of the bedsideand having a sleeve-like portion into which the other end of saidflexible metal tube extends and is secured, an insulating bushingsecured in that end of said sleeve portion remote from the end intowhich said tube extends, and conductors leading from said signalingdevice to said switch and extending through said bushing, said sleeve,and said metal tube.

2. In a hospital signaling apparatus, in combination, a push buttonswitch adapted to be operated by a patient in bed, a bracket shaped tosubstantially interfit with the side rail of the bed, means for clampingsaid bracket to said side rail, a sleeve-like member carried by saidbracket, a section of flexible tubing secured at one end to saidsleevelike member and carrying said push button switch at its other end,said tubing being received in one end of said sleeve-like memher, and aconductor-carrying cable leading from said push button through saidtubing and out through the other end of said sleevelike member.

i 3, In a hospital signaling apparatus, the combination with an electricsignaling device and a bedside switch for controlling said device, of abendable but non-resilient tube carrying said switch at its free end andprovided with means at its other end for attachment thereof to a part ofthe bedstead, and conductors leading from said signaling device to saidswitch and extending through said tube. V

4. In hospital signaling apparatus, in combination, a push button switchadapted to be operated by a patient lying in bed, clamping means fordetachable engagement with a spring-supporting frame part of the bed,and

semi-rigid and yieldably bendable mechanical means interposed betweensaid push button and said clamping means for holding said switch inoperative relation to said bed and Within reach of the patient, saidsemirigid means having suflicient rigidity to support the weight of saidpush button whereby, even though the push button rests upon a part ofthe bed, the patient is relieved ofthe weight thereof, and saidsemi-rigid means being bendable in horizontal and vertical planeswhereby said switch may be moved into a position most convenient for thepatient.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my 9 name to this specification this25th day of February 1930.

ROBERT SQEDWARDS.

